Running Like Clockwerk

I don't own Sly Cooper, Carmelita, Neyla or any associated characters. I own Douglas, Jason and Veronica.

Chapter 20 - The Black Chateau

Location: Paris, France, Western Europe.
Time: 23:30

In Douglas' defence, all he'd been told was that something was happening tonight and it involved Dimirti and The Fiendish Five. He wasn't told what time it would be happening.

It seemed that Douglas had missed out on whatever action had happened.

Looking around the corner of the building, Douglas saw a number of police officers around the entrance to the nightclub, and the fallen peacock sign that had smashed through the fountain. There was police tape blocking off the streets leading into the main square, and officers were trying to tell people to return to their homes.

'What happened here?' Douglas thought to himself, puzzled by the peacock sign. 'Did the Fiendish Five do all of this damage?'

Moving away from the corner, Douglas scurried down the road, and quickly ducked down behind a red car.

"So this is what they call 'The Black Château' huh?" Douglas thought out loud, but in a whisper, as he peered over the top of the he was crouching behind.

Before him, there was a huge gate-door that, although made of wood, looked extremely sturdy. Looking though the gaps in the iron bars of the 'wall' leading off the door, he could make out what seemed to be a very fancy looking fountain.
In front of the door, there were many brief cases lying around and a strange looking truck with a huge grappling hook on it.

Douglas then noticed someone in the garden.
'Well well... Veronica Palace... She'll know something!'

Quickly, Douglas ran through the brief cases and jumped onto the roof of the car parked next to the iron-bar fence. With another jump, he was over the fence, and quickly rolled upon touching the ground to behind a large speaker box.

Looking across, he saw Veronica pacing back and forth in front of the back door of the building, looking quite annoyed. Her mouth was also moving, indicating she was mumbling to herself.

He was still too far away from her to able to hear what she was saying, Moving forward, he moved across a little bridge and jumped on top of the speaker box next to the fountain/circular stage. He jumped again, and pulled himself up to the top, next to a stone gargoyle that was producing a stream of water.
'Dimitri must be loaded!' He thought.

Veronica walked down the steps and kept moving until she stopped right in the middle of the circular area.
Her 'phone went off, which she answered.

"Veronica Palace here."
"It's Jason here!" The voice on the other end answered.
"Good. Something's come up; the plan needs to be aborted immediately."
"What happened?"

"It seems Sly Cooper has an interest in the KLAWW Gang as well. Inspector Fox and Constable Neyla carried out a police raid, and found Dimitri knocked out in a barrel, next to a counterfeiting machine."
"Explains why he was spending more than his club was making."
"Seems like it. At least it saves us the problem of taking the lounge lizard out ourselves."

"What about these 'fake Clockwerk' parts Raleigh wanted to look at?"
"No sign of them. Either the KLAWW Gang was lying, or for some reason Cooper took them."

"All right. I'll call Muggshot and tell him the plan's off. But, uh..."
"What?"
"Can you... Stick around? I mean... In case, you know... Douglas shows up or somethin'..."

Veronica sighed. "Yes, I'll stay for a bit longer. I don't know what makes Clockwerk so sure he'll be here though. I still say him being at Cairo was a fluke. But if he doesn't show up..."
"He will!"
"Shut up!" She snapped. "IF he doesn't, there's no way of telling him about the next stage of our operation."

"Rajan. The 'self-made' royalty of the Spice industry." Jason confirmed. "Taking him down will be quite a feat, especially with his palace and spice production facility being located at almost opposite ends of India."
"Dimitri was the easiest target to start with. The rest of the KLAWW Gang are far more difficult to get to, especially Arpeggio." Veronica stated. "Our best chance to get rid of Rajan is at the unveiling of his 'latest acquisition' in a few weeks time. We can divide our forces to take down both of his operation bases, but the spice plant should be the main target. He can't have anything worth while in some old palace."

"Are you sure that it will work? I mean, seeing as how there's gonna be a lot of Interpol invited, and..."
"No one on the 'good' side of the law has a clue to who Rajan actually is. He pays of the Indian authorities regularly, and generous donations to Interpol keep them sweet. From what I've heard, Rajan's PR team give out free VIP invites to people just to bump up the numbers at his parties. It's hard to tell if he's trying to convince himself or the rest of the world that he's a true royal."
"All right. I'll check back with you later. Keep a look out for Douglas though; he just HAS to show up sooner or later."

Veronica hung up the 'phone, and started to walk back to the building, mumbling something about Jason being obsessed.

As soon as she'd gone inside, Douglas jumped down from where he had been eavesdropping. He quickly glanced around, before noticing a small wooden boat that he could use to jump around the side of the building and back into town.

Location: Paris, France.
Time: 23:40

Walking down the streets of Paris, Douglas took the time he had to reflect on what he'd heard.

To him, the night was a failure. None of the questions he had on his mind had been answered, and he'd only found out that the Fiendish Five were planning to take out another KLAWW Gang member.

'This is some wild goose chase I'm stuck on.' He thought to himself, kicking an empty tin can down the street. 'And my only lead is some shindig that's gonna be full of cops and gate crashed by the Fiendish Five. Not my kind of party at all...'

He kicked the can again, watching it roll down the street.

The next thing he knew, a blast of bullets suddenly appeared and obliterated the can from existence.
Out of instinct, Douglas whipped out his Shock-Gun, clicking it into action.

"I guess that slimy rat was right after all..." Came the rough voice, as a hulking figure started to come out of a side alley, accompanied by dogs clad in suits, each carrying Tommy-guns. "You are here to help out huh?"

"Muggshot." Douglas said, easily recognising the muscle of the Fiendish Five. "I guess you haven't heard the news?"
"News? What'cha talking about?"
"Dimirti's already has been done and dusted by the Cooper Gang. We've missed all the fun."

"WHAT?" That no-good raccoon and his misfits are meddlin' in my plans again?"
"Your plan?"
"Yeah! I'm da real... Uh... That word, for the thing..." Muggshot tapped the side of his head with one the huge guns he was wielding. "What does all the thinkin' in the head..."

"You mean the brain?"
"Yeah, that thing! I'm da best brain-guy in The Fiendish Five! I can do all sorts a' clever mind stuff, like those jigsaw things and everything!"

Douglas tilted his head slightly, a bemused look on his face.

"I gots it all!" Muggshot continued. "I gots da best looks, da best brains, da best muscles, da bestest guns, and not to mention I got the best brains!"
"Okay..." Douglas said. "Right... So, Mr. Einstein, if you are so smart as you say you are, then maybe you can answer some questions that I have."
"Questions? Einstein? What the heck are you talkin' about?"
The fox sighed, shaking his head. "Forget it, I'm not gonna get anything useful out of you."

"Hey! You watch your mouth; or else I might have to rearrange it from your face!"
"Ooooooh!" Douglas mocked, shaking his hands as if he was afraid. "Big threat tough guy. Were you up all last night thinking up that, or did your momma teach you that one?"

"NOBODY TALKS BAD ABOUT MY MOMMA!" Muggshot roared. "NO ONE! All right boys, lets teach this punk some lessons in respect!"